Did you ever know
by Elli
Summary: They were more then best friends, they were family.


Title: Did you ever know…

Author: Elli

Disclaimer: I don't own the Sentinel, or 'Wind Beneath My Wings' sung by Bette Middler, other people, much wealthier than I do.

Summary: They were more then best friends, they were family.

Warning: Death story, inspired by Beaches, swearing, spell checked but not bet'd.

Did you ever know… November 14th 2011

James Ellison stood outside his best friend's home, above him the night stars stood out almost alarmingly without city lights obstructing them. The sentinel was oblivious to this however; an occurrence that was almost shocking considering the Sentinel nearly always remarked on the night sky on his many previous visits.

"It's getting cold man," best friend and owner of the property Blair Sandburg remarked slightly breathlessly from Jim's left side, where he stood looking out into the darkness.

"You should go inside."

Blair shrugged but did not move from his friend's side nor look away from the darkness.

"What are you going to do?"

Blair turned and looked at his friend, before shrugging once again.

"Chief," a whisper.

"I, I want to stay here, with Amia."

Jim nodded its what he had suspected. "And Amia?"

Blair looked up at the stars, "I always thought you'd make a great father." The words were scratchy, Jim knew they must have been the hardest thing Blair had ever had to say.

Jim shook his head, turning towards Blair for the first time since he had heard. Even in the darkness Jim's sentinel sight could see the tears in his friends eyes. "Blair look at me." His friends tear filled eyes turned to meet his own. "I am Amia's godfather, Chief, her uncle, you will always be her father."

A nod of the head and Blair turned his eyes back to the stars.

_Ohhhh, oh, oh, oh, ohhh.  
It must have been cold there in my shadow,  
to never have sunlight on your face.  
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.  
You always walked a step behind._

**March 2001**

"I think I'm in love man," Detective Blair Sandburg said as he entered the Major Crimes offices.

Jim just smiled indulgently from his desk, sipping a cup of coffee. "Who is this time Cassanova?"

"Marai Santi, she's originally from Argentina but moved to the states with her parents when she was in her teens, she's just started working at the local High School."

"Well you're gonna have to put your love life on the backburner, we have a new case….."

So I was the one with all the glory,  
while you were the one with all the strength.  
A beautiful face without a name for so long.  
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

**July 2002**

"You're an idiot you know that right? Fucking jumping in front of a bullet. Who does that? Hate to tell you junior but you are not…"

"He's unconscious James."

Jim Ellison looked up from Guide to the young woman whom had entered the room.

"Marai, I'm pretty sure this is the only time I'll ever get him to listen to me."

A soft laugh filled the room, "You are probably right James, but if he was any other way he would not be our Blair."

Did you ever know that you're my hero,  
and everything I would like to be?  
I can fly higher than an eagle,  
for you are the wind beneath my wings.

**January 2003**

"So…..I get to give the bucks night right? I mean that's part of the privilege as best man."

"Um," Blair stuttered nervously, "I don't think a bucks nights is such a good idea, I mean, Marai's pregnant, she doesn't need any more stress."

Jim grinned evilly "Don't worry so much Sandburg, I've already talked to Marai, as long as you make it to the wedding on time I can do anything I like."

"What?" Blair looked alarmed "She did not say that…..JIM!"

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,  
but I've got it all here in my heart.  
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.

I would be nothing without you.

**February 2004**

"You have a beautiful home Chief. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

Blair looked up from the photo in front of him. "You were angry, you had every right to be."

Jim shook his head, "I didn't Chief, I was selfish, I, I missed you, all of you, and I didn't want to admit, that, that I was wrong." Blair, his wife Marai and then 10 month old daughter had left Cascade for Seyade, two hours away where Marai had spent her teens and had returned due to her mothers failing health. It had been hard, for everyone involved.

"Oh god, I, I can't believe she's gone, my beautiful Marai. How the hell can I raise Amai alone, I know nothing about children, gods…"

"You'll do fine, and I'll always be here, for both of you, when ever you need me."

Blair leaned into his friend, and let himself cry for the first real time since his wife had been killed. It had been stupid, so pointless. Marai had gone riding, like she did every morning, but this morning a man in his thirties had been running late for work, been going to fast and had hit Marai. Now Blair was left with a small child and very frail old lady to look after, alone.

"Not alone Chief, I'll be here as long as you need me."

Did you ever know that you're my hero?  
You're everything I wish I could be.  
I could fly higher than an eagle,  
for you are the wind beneath my wings.

**November 13th 2011**

Eight year old Amai Jamie Sandburg was bored, Uncle Jim was still talking to the lady, and all she wanted to do was go and see her Dad.

"Bored, bored, bored," she said quietly to herself and moved away from her Uncle Jim and to the door she was pretty sure her Dad was in. She peeked in, just to see, she wasn't going to go in or anything.

"Daddy," She squealed and before she knew it she had some how ended up on the bed with her dad.

Blair smiled at his daughter as she snuggled into the hospital bed with him. "Hello Munchkin," he said slightly breathless from the attempt at talking.

"Are you sick Daddy? Uncle Jim came all the way from Cascade and he picked me up from school and he brought me here to the hospital. Will you be better soon?" The little girl asked in one breath.

Blair looked sadly on at his daughter though a slight smile appeared on his face, Jim was right she did talk just like him.

"I'm a little sick honey."

"Do you have a cold Daddy, will you be better soon?" The little girl asked, her big brown eyes, that reminded him so much of her mother looking up at him earnestly.

"No Amai, I don't have a cold, my….my heart is sick, it has a virus."

"But it will be better soon, right?" Amai asked her father her eyes shining brightly from the seriousness in her father's voice.

"There you are Amai, I thought I told you to stay with me?" The voice of Jim Ellison interrupted as he entered the room, putting the conversation Blair was having with his daughter put on hold for the time being.

Did I ever tell you you're my hero?  
You're everything, everything I wish I could be.  
Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,  
for you are the wind beneath my wings,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

**January 20th 2012**It was raining, it hadn't stopped raining since Blair had died, it seemed. Ten days. And now here they were, the two of them. Amai hadn't taken her fathers death well. It wasn't a surprise really; she'd lost so many people, her mother, whom Jim was sure she couldn't remember. Her Grandmother Jo whom had lived with Amai and Blair until she had finally died two and a half years ago. And now her father.

"It's time to go Amai."

"Can we, come back some day? Visit Daddy and Mom and Grams and Grampa?" The little girl asked tears in her eyes and her voice scratchy from all the tears she had shed. Not for the first time Jim asked himself if taking her away from the only home she had known was the right thing to do. But they had decided, he and Blair, when it was revealed on that November day just how sick Blair was. It would be better this way, better for both of them.

"Of course Amai J, whenever you would like."

The little girl nodded, surveyed her home for the last time before taking her uncles hand.

_Oh, the wind beneath my wings.  
You, you, you, you are the wind beneath my wings.  
Fly, fly, fly away. You let me fly so high.  
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings.  
Oh, you, you, you, the wind beneath my wings._

Jim squeezed his niece's hand as they walked towards his four-wheel drive. "Did I ever tell you how I met your Dad"

Amai shook her.

"Well, it was over ten years ago, I'd gone to the Doctor about my allergies and your Dad came in and pretended to be my Doctor and said that I should go and see a man by the name of Blair Sandburg who could help me."

Amai looked up at her uncle in disbelief, the first signs of animation appearing on her face since her father's death. "Really?"

"Really," Jim smiled down at her, "And then when I went to his office he called me a cave man….."

_Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,  
so high I almost touch the sky.  
Thank you, thank you,  
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings.  
_

-fin-


End file.
